What is the ruling when one vows that all their slaves shall be free or that all their possessions shall be free if a certain action is performed?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Oaths
Primary text
If one vows, 'If I do such-and-such, then every slave I own shall be free,' or 'everything I own shall be free,' upon violating the condition, their slaves are immediately freed, and the expiation of an oath does not suffice in place of this act of manumission. This view is narrated from Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas. It is also the opinion of Ibn Abi Layla, Thawri, Malik, Awza'i, Layth, Shafi'i, and Ishaq.
Supporting text
A differing view holds that the expiation of an oath suffices, narrated from Ibn Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Aisha, Abu Salama, Hafsa, Zaynab bint Abi Salama, and Abu Thawr. The evidence for this position is that it is an oath, thus falling under the general ruling of Allah the Almighty: 'So its expiation is the feeding of ten poor people' (Quran 5:89).